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Menswear Suiting for Fall

This month’s garment is a combination of menswear suiting and wool crepe.

A dress (yes another dress!) that works with my style aesthetic and the corporate dress code that governs my days…oh and most importantly I’m sewing fall now. Yes, I know that there are still lovely summer breezes blowing and days full of heat and humidity…but every fashion magazine is telling me it’s fall…and quite frankly this year I actually want to sew fall early.

So with two things in mind (designer interpretation and fall fashions) I went to the mens’ suiting department on the upper floor of the Mood NYC store. I love this area. It’s been set apart and set up like you’re walking into a men’s haberdashery. The fabric is very appealingly placed and I’ve been looking for a reason to sew something from this area of the store. Moodfabrics.com has a plethora of suiting in wool solids and plaids, if you’re looking for a suiting to sew your first fall garment.

I picked a subtle lightweight wool plaid suiting and a vivid lightweight blue wool crepe. The blue of the wool crepe highlights the blue in the suiting.

…and I used my TNT dress which is my basic work dress silhouette. Construction details can be found in this post…cause you have to take care when sewing plaids to insure that they match…even when you only match a side and back seam.

…a side view to show the blue side of the dress and sleeve.

I added some striped piping to the dress’ neckline and sleeve hems, to add a dash of interesting to my basic dress…

I made the short sleeves reflect the front fabric…gray sleeve cut on the bias for the suiting side and blue wool crepe for the blue side…

…especially since the back is the solid plaid fabric…

I love looking down the front of the dress to see the two fabrics working together…

There are two things that are important about this dress.

1. It’s my first fall dress

2. This dress is all about the fabric

I can’t wait for the first cool fall day to wear this dress. It’s not flashy, just a little fashion forward, a perfect dress for my conservative and very corporate work place. So while I know that these are the last balmy days of summer…I’m definitely sewing fall now!

Comments

AngelaAugust 20, 2013

I like this one! Really pretty. I might start sewing for fall now I might even do something like this. I love the blue. It is just so pretty. I might try it with black piping. What fun. You are giving me a lot of fun ideas for fall!!!

Thanks Lauren! I’m so glad you think it strikes the perfect balance because that’s what I was aiming for!

Mae WilsonAugust 20, 2013

I seldom comment, because everyone has already said what I’m thinking, but this time I just have to add to the general opinion on this dress. L.O.V.E. I have a feeling I’m not going to be the only one copying your dress. I promise not to wear it in North America!

I love the pop of blue! You really did your inspiration dress proud with this one. And, I always get so excited when anyone who can actually visit Mood writes about their experiences shopping in the actual store. One of these days…